Internet Long Distance Charges / Warning: I on my soapbox.

[Susan Rabe]

I think we (the American public) have to realize that we are going to get
charged for services somehow.  We can pay local phone calls or we can pay
taxes for "free Internet" services.

I already pay local charges for Internet use. In fact, my phone company
charges for all local calls outside of @8 mile radius of my home based on
distance and time.  My Internet provider is not in my local calling area.
Of course, I also don't pay long distance rates for  the ever expanding
area codes in the Chicago area.  My calls to the area within 60-70 miles of
Chicago are charged as local calls regardless of the area code.  It was a
great shock to me when I came to Chicago in 1979 to learn about "message
units".  Over the years, the distance for local calls covered by the basic
phone service charge has contracted from city-wide to this @8 mile radius
that does cross city limits.


Susan M. Rabe
Collection Resources Bibliographer
Center for Research Libraries
6050 S. Kenwood Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637-2804
Tel: 773-955-4545 x323
Fax: 773-955-4339
Email: rabe at crlmail.uchicago.edu